The visitor center at the park is closed for new exhibits for several months but I wanted to visit Shiloh National Military Park anyway and tour this important battlefield. The movie is still showing in the theater. Like most of the informational videos in the parks, it provides a great overview of the battle. April 6 & 7, 1862, “Nearly 110,000 American troops clashed in a bloody contest that resulted in 23,746 casualties; more casualties than in all of America’s previous wars combined.”

Grant was facing A.S. Johnston and the Army of Mississippi. After Johnston’s death on the battlefield, P.G.T. Beauregard took over. Beauregard had cabled Jefferson Davis after the first day of the battle that they had a significant victory and he would finish off Grant tomorrow.

Grant was reinforced by Buell, and the Union won a decisive victory here pushing the Confederates out of Tennessee.

After the video, I walked through the Shiloh National Cemetery, site of Grant’s HQ, saw some of the monuments in the area, then followed the NPS driving tour, 12.7 miles and 22 stops with the major areas including the Shiloh Church, the “place of peace”, the Ruggles Battery, Hornet’s Nest, the field hospital, the site of Albert Sidney Johnston’s death, and Pittsburg Landing where Buell’s troops arrived, reinforcing Grant. I really love the NPS app! So many great features in here but the guided tours are the best.

Corinth is part of the Shiloh NPS site. I didn’t have enough time after Shiloh and the battlefield tour to visit Corinth the same day like I had originally planned so I drove back up the next day. I visited the Corinth Civil War Interpretative Center, then the Contraband Camp, and Battery F. Boo and I also did a walking tour of town to see both Grant’s and A.S. Johnston’s old HQs and the crossroads of the Mobile & Ohio, the north-south line, and the Memphis & Charleston, the east-west line; these railroads were the reason for the importance of Corinth to both the Federals and Confederates. The CSA Secretary of War, Leroy Pope, called Corinth the “vertebrae of the Confederacy”.

The siege of Corinth, or the “First Battle”, was after Shiloh. General Halleck moved troops south to engage Beauregard and move them out of the city. The siege lasted from April 29th to May 30 when the town was captured by Federal forces. The “Second Battle of Corinth”, usually just called the battle of Corinth was in October, 1862 when CSA General Van Dorn tried forcing Federal troops under Rosecrans out of the city.

The Contraband Camp had QR codes to learn more about the people. I just enjoyed the statues while there then came home and watched the videos. Interesting history and they deserve more views than they currently all have on YouTube: Contraband Camp Playlist.

Two other Civil War battlefields are in the area. I did the car tour of Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, June 10, 1864, and visited Tupelo National Battlefield, July 14 & 15, 1864.

I visited different areas on the beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway. I drove part of this two years ago when driving from Vicksburg to Natchez, then again when visiting Nashville in late 2021 and early 2022. While in Tupelo I drove about 60 miles north and another day, drove south. The parkway is so lovely. I like that the speed limit is 50 mph so you can enjoy the views, usually, anyway. Many people who live in the area obviously use the parkway for less traffic, no stoplights, fewer entrance and exits but then get annoyed by the people actually doing 50 (or less). Feel free to pass, when you can! I am enjoying the view.

Tupelo

The only reason I stayed in Tupelo was because I couldn’t find anything decent in Corinth or closer to Shiloh. The few hotels and AirBNBs I saw were very poorly rated so found a nice AirBNB in Tupelo. I was comfortable but then had an hour drive to Shiloh and Corinth. If I had been closer I would have returned to the battlefield, even spending 5 hours at Shiloh I felt rushed.

In Tupelo, I visited Elvis’s Birthplace. I enjoy his music but not a big fan; however, for just $15, it’s a good value. You see the 2-room home his father and grandfather built and where he and his twin were born. It’s in the original location and has been restored. The church he attended, and where Elvis had his first solo, was restored and moved to the site. There is a small museum full of memorabilia. There is also a nice garden and some good statues, Elvis at 13 and Elvis “Becoming”, lovely grounds to enjoy a walk.

There is a small museum in town, Oren Dunn City Museum, free, next to a lovely park that Boo and I enjoyed.

Downtown has Fairpark, with the Elvis Homecoming Statue. The Veteran’s Park, with a replica Vietnam Wall and some nice trails, is not far from Elvis’s Birthplace.

Restaurants

• I had some good brisket at Clay’s House of Pig (CHOP), one of their “taters”, super healthy: potato, cheese, brisket, sour cream. Huge, I shared a lot of the meat with Boo and still threw some away.
• Sandwiches at both Sweet Pepper’s Cafe and Cafe 212 were very good.